Lovely anime song

[Showa Classics] A Collection of Nostalgic 70s Anime Songs

Editor-in-Chief, RAG MUSICKeisuke Hane
Editor-in-chief of RAG MUSIC. After working at a music studio and in wedding sound engineering, joined the RAG MUSIC editorial team in 2016. Experienced with various instruments: marching band in elementary school, clarinet in middle school wind ensemble, and drums in a band from high school onward. Drawing on personal music activities and professional experience, produces daily articles, including song introductions, features on music festivals around Japan, and live reports. Enjoys a wide range of music, from domestic and international rock to, more recently, a broad spectrum of J-pop.

Back in the 1970s, many iconic anime that represent Japan were broadcast.

Not only the anime themselves, but their theme songs have also captivated many people since those days.

In this article, we’ll introduce a wide selection of nostalgic anime songs from the ’70s for those who remember that era.

We’ve picked everything from timeless standards you still hear often today to unforgettable classics you might not have heard recently but can hum the moment they start playing.

As you look back on those times, take this opportunity to sit back and enjoy these nostalgic masterpieces.

[Masterpieces of the Showa Era] A Collection of Nostalgic 1970s Anime Songs (21–30)

Daichan Counting SongYoshida Yoshimi (Tendo Yoshimi)

Daichan Counting Song (Inakappe Taishō) / Daichan Kazoeuta

Daichan Counting Song Yoshida Yoshimi (Tendo Yoshimi)

Inakappe Taisho is a TV anime that depicts the exploits of Daichan, also known as Daisamon Kaze, and is known for its theme song Daichan Kazoewuta, sung by Yoshimi Tendo.

It’s astonishing to learn that she was only 13 years old at the time of the recording.

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AFRO “LUPIN ’68”Charlie Kosei

Afro Lupin 68

AFRO "LUPIN '68" Charlie Kosei

Lupin the Third is a work created by Monkey Punch that has expanded into many forms—manga, anime, and films—and is loved by a wide range of generations.

AFRO “LUPIN ’68” is one of the opening themes from the first anime series, and like its predecessor, Lupin the Third Theme Song I, it was performed by Charlie Kosei.

It is said that the piece was originally produced as in-episode music, with Charlie Kosei improvising the vocals based on fragmentary keyword prompts.

It’s a stylish track that evokes the hard-boiled atmosphere of the series.

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Please tell me.Kayoko Iju

HD Heidi, Girl of the Alps OP

Teach me, Kayoko Iju.

Heidi, Girl of the Alps is a TV anime based on the novel by Johanna Spyri and was broadcast as part of the Calpis Manga Theater.

It remains widely known today, partly because the characters are still used in commercials.

The theme song Oshiete was sung by Kayoko Ishu.

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GO! GO! TritonHide Yūki

[Triton of the Sea] GO GO Triton Hideki Yuki, Suginami Children’s Choir (with lyrics)

GO! GO! Triton Hide & Yuki Yugi

This is the opening theme of an anime broadcast in 1972, based on a manga by Osamu Tezuka, a manga artist who left an enduring mark on Japanese history.

As the protagonist’s name is taken from the Greek sea god, the story depicts battles set on the ocean.

Although the song is strongly associated with the opening theme, it was originally used as the ending theme.

It is a striking piece featuring a bold, forward-marching sound that evokes the spirit of adventure and combat in the work, paired with lyrics that paint a mystical image of the sea.

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Aim for the Ace!Kumiko Osugi

Anison Kouhaku 98-12: Aim for the Ace! — Kumiko Ōsugi

Aim for the Ace! Kumiko Ōsugi

Aiming for the Ace! is Suzue Miuchi Yamamoto’s sports manga, serialized in Weekly Margaret from 1973, famous for sparking a tennis boom.

The story follows a protagonist who joins the tennis club out of admiration, suffers bullying after being chosen as the club’s representative, and overcomes those hardships to grow into a top-tier player.

That narrative can also be felt in the opening theme song.

Set to a bright-sounding arrangement, the track seems to express the determination of a player who fights in solitude.

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The Song of DevilmanKeizo Toda

Devilman - The Song of Devilman (Theme Song)

Devilman no Uta Keizo Jūda

Devilman is a work created by Go Nagai, with the manga serialization and the TV anime broadcast running simultaneously—a notable point, as each version has a different tone.

The music, alongside the story, depicts a form of justice burdened with sorrow: a hero who gains the power of a demon in order to defeat demons.

While the song includes classic hero-song elements, such as listing the names of Devilman’s special finishing moves, it also conveys the protagonist’s inner conflict over the contradiction of enforcing justice with demonic power.

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Ballad of Their FootstepsThe Beginning of Blood

Ballad of Their Footsteps

The Beginning of the Ballad of Their Footsteps

Hajime Ningen Gyatoruz is a TV anime based on an original work by Shunji Sonoyama, set in the prehistoric era.

Its ending theme, “Ballad of Their Footsteps,” is known as a classic and was later covered by Hiroshi Kamayatsu and Shikao Suga.

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